Pac-10 football: Five players to watch for ’09

While plowing through ’08 stats and ’09 spring previews for a Pac-10 football article for the The Sporting News — unfortunately, early deadlines prevented me from taking much of the on-field action into account — I jotted down the names of a few players who could have breakout seasons in the fall.

I made no restrictions on class or position or team. But I did not include players who were named honorable-mention all-conference last season.

Oh, and one more restriction: No quarterbacks. Aaron Corp as a breakout player? Too easy.

Here are my five:

1. Everson Griffen, DE, USC: In my mind, he’s the clear choice for breakout star, a former mega-recruit who started three games last season, then played regularly off the bench (4.5 sacks). Pass-rushing dynamo and future first-day draft pick. If you thought Lawrence Jackson was tough to block off the end …

2. Jamere Holland, WR, Oregon: Perhaps the fastest receiver in the league. A transfer from USC, Holland caught just four passes last season but could be one of the best playmakers at what looks to be a weak position league-wide.

3. Morrell Presley, TE, UCLA: The true freshman was the top TE recruit in the country but can be used as an H-back, slot receiver or wideout. Too bad the Bruins don’t have a creative playcaller to take advantage of Presley’s immense skills.

4. Mitchell Schwartz, OT, Cal: Started as a redshirt freshman in ’08 and has the potential to be a multi-time all-leaguer along the lines of ex-Bear Ryan O’Callaghan.

5. Robert Golden, SS, Arizona: A reserve cornerback last fall as a freshman, Golden has switched to safety, where the 190-pounder will no doubt wreak havoc with a frequency that should make Taylor Mays proud.

Ms. Sandy Barbour is one of 4 nominees for the Sports Business Journal & Daily’s ATHLETIC DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR! The other nominees are from the Universities of Oklahoma, Florida, & Minnesota.

Question: Did Bob Bowlsby’s nomination get lost?!!? Aren’t all those Directors Cups worth a nominatiom?!!?

shihsl

To MEG Hoopster: yes, Barbour’s done a great job at Cal. And Tedford is a great football coach. Is there somehow no way to point out that sort of thing without taking a stab at Stanford? I just don’t understand the venom that so many Cal fans like to throw our way. I know it’s a rivalry, but Cal and Stanford are both great schools, and I’ll admit that I always root for Cal–except when they’re playing Stanford. I just think that some mutual respect would be nice.

To Jon: I find it strange to exclude QBs from your list. I think your point is that QBs already have the spotlight on them, so in some ways it’s too obvious a “breakout” if a talented QB is getting to start for the first time. But there’s so much pressure on the position that I think they should be included. If Corp is too obvious a choice, I would suggest Stanford’s Andrew Luck. He’s still young and a bit under-the-radar and, like the USC DE you picked, he’s a former mega-recruit with tons of talent. Despite the fact that he’ll only be a redshirt freshman, his teammates go on and on about both his skills and leadership ability, and Luck has the potential to return Stanford to the kind of passing attack it hasn’t seen since Husak was QB.

Furdman

#6…Andrew Luck. Future PAC 10 Player of the Year!

milo

Bob Bowlsby!

Vintage Cal

shihsl – time to get out of the kitchen!

AERose

“Is there somehow no way to point out that sort of thing without taking a stab at Stanford?”

Absolutely none.

Ranger John

Why just the PAC 10 players? I noticed two more Spartans were picked up by the pros! Half the WAC teams can play with anybody, you will see this coming fall.

UCB-1955

Ranger – PLEASE ELUCIDATE.

Which schools are “half the WAC teams”?

&

Who is the “anybody” you feel these schools can play with?

AERose

The various feuding factions on the Hotline (Cal/Furd, Cal/USC/UCLA, Wilner/Clemson, Pac-10/other conferences) just did a completely unified spit take at Ranger John’s post.

MEG Hoopster

& I’ve got Mountain West coffee all over my computer screen!

taggie

Off topic but whatever…I continue to be mystified by a “College” hot line’s complete disregard for college baseball, local and national. SJSU looks to be in pretty good postion to make the college world series and yet there is almost no mention of them in this paper or this space, ever. What’s the deal?

And by the way, the Cal/Stanford yapping does get really old…

UCB-1955

on taggie’s topic

Perhaps the Hot Line doesn’t cover college baseball because no one really cares, NOT EVEN SJSU STUDENTS & ALUMS! San Jose finished the WAC season this weekend at home, and drew an average of 608 fans per day. Not exactly rabid support!

Most of them are probably “band-wagon jumpers”, like taggie, who know next to nothing about college baseball. NO WAY SJSU “looks to be in pretty good position to make the COLLEGE WORLD SERIES” as taggie projects. Making the CWS means making the final 8 in Omaha. Not going to happen for the Spartans who went 15-7 in the weak WAC.

In fact if SJSU doesn’t win the WAC tourney, they’re probably not going to get an invite to the NCAA regional playoffs. The WAC will probably get just a single bid/invite, and it will go to the automatic qualifier (WAC tourney winner).

There you go taggie. You’ve gotten your wish. A little college baseball chatter!

MEG Hoopster

Yea Wilner – what are your thoughts on Clemson Baseball? Do you have an AP vote? Clemson is 39-17, including 9-2 in May………NOT EXACTLY A LATE SEASON COLLAPSE!

Stanford Yapping

taggie finds the cal/Stanford banter “old”? I’ll tell you what never gets old – BEATING UP ON THE SPARTANS!

This year Stanford baseball (29-22 overall & .500 in the Pac-10) has not lived up to our usual high standards. But even in a down year, we take care of business vs cal state san jose. One game at Sunken Diamond and one game at Municipal Stadium (SJ Giants Home – thank goodness we didn’t have to play at that on-campus sjs dump called Blethen Field). Outcome = 2 victories for the Stanford Cardinal.

There will be more of the same on September 19th when cal state sj travels to Stanford Stadium. Ranger John & taggie can be in charge of bringing the body bags for their school.

PapaBear

What about College Softball?

Kudos to the Pac-10. Six schools (Arizona, ASU, Washington, UCLA, Stanford & Cal) got invited to the Field of 64 Championship Tourney, and all six made it to the Super Regionals (Field of 16) posting a 19-2 record in the process. Pac-10 Pride!

Sadly all 6 can’t make it to the Women’s College World Series (Field of 8), because the NCAA has Arizona at Stanford in the Super Regional.

Despite the NCAA’s efforts to hype the SEC as a tough & talented softball conference (similar to how the NCAA hyped up southern college baseball), Pac-10 softball continues to dominate: 21 National Championships since 1982 with ASU being the defending National Champs.

GO Bears, Cardinal, Wildcats, Sun Devils, Bruins, & Huskies!!!

milo

Indeed, Pac 10 softball might be the toughest conference in all of D1, men’s or women’s. A couple of years back 8 of 10 teams were nationally ranked and I believe most in the top 10. Year in and year out, it’s a crazy competitive deal. Conference of Champions.

Vintage Cal

What about San Jose State softball? Curiosity made me look it up: 19-37 overall, finishing 6th out of 8 teams in the WAC, and going 0-2 in the WAC tourney.

I guess San Jose softball isn’t quite ready to “play with anybody”.

Furdman

I think Wilner’s next blog should be titled SJ Mercury News: 5 Bloggers to watch for 09.

1. Milo
2. Vintage Cal
3. PapaBear
4. Bearfan
5. MostWanted Spartan

Could be a break-out year for these bloogers? Lets hope so!

Furdman

I just realized that 3 of my 5 bloggers made interesting posts while I was giving Jon W the idea for his next blog title. These bloggers are good!

MEG Hoopster

Unlike lesliemedford, I don’t covet Directors Cups. And unlike milo, I don’t care about Nobels. I just want to get on Furdman’s list. Am I on the bubble? Will I be the last one invited or first one left out? Is there a CBI equivalent that I might be invited to? Can I BLAME BOB BOWLSBY for all my shortcomings?!?!?

milo

WTF, an endorsement by a Furdie? Is that like Hoover telling you there’s no depression, or Condi telling you the torture was a-okay?

JohnnyUtah

If you want an OSU reciever ready to breakout, you gotta go with Darrell Catchings over Jordan Bishop….at least for next year. After that, Bishop might be the best around, but he needs some real game reps before he’ll really breakout.

jooosssh

how is norm chow not a creative playcaller??????

AERose

His playcalling lacks irony.

Furdman

MEG,
You’re on my short list of outstanding bloggers..You’re a little too much basketball for me….. Maybe this fall will be a break-out football season of blogging for you…4 of my 5 bloggers to watch for in 09 are Cal fans who go through each season with blinders on! Always making excuses, never putting blame for season collapses in the right place, thinking Tedford is the second coming of Lombardi, & the excuses and rationalizations continue throughout the season. Maybe in 09 reality will strike my 4 talented and up & coming blogsters. As for MWS= lost cause!

http://espn bill333

i always root for the furd.i want our victory over those scum to be better.

Furdman

bill, bill, bill, What’s with the anger & name calling? Scum, Wow! I understand that the word “scum” is an often used Cal word because Cal Bear people know so much about scum. They have had to deal with it & endure it on the football field for years. Show a LITTLE class next time you attempt a worthwhile post. Root for Cal to beat Stanford but referring to our fine institution as scum is classless! It just demonstrates your extreme ignorance & immaturity.

milo

bill333, ignore Turdman…you know anyone who uses that name shows a complete lack of self respect for the fine, fine institution that is Furd. Heck even Bob Bowlsby would have to say something upon hearing Furd.

Furdman

Milo, Do you condone bill333 calling Stanford scum? I don’t think you do! BTW bill333 is a made up name by someone on this blog site who wanted to say something crappy without using his real blogging name. A real stand-up wimp! You have always been fun to spar with & match wits with. You’re a class act–maybe a little misguied but always interesting.
Happy Face! I still don’t know how to make one of those happy faces appear on my posts. I guess I missed the computer happy face class while attending Stanford.

Vintage Cal

Cal knows SCRUM……………which is something Stanfurd avoids like a plague. Can you say “furdie forfeit”?!?

Furdman

VC, very cute & clever. Now that’s the kind of post I’m talking about. Milo must be rubbing off on you! BTW Gerhart will make the country & the PAC 10 forget about J. Best. Luck will take over the reins for the Cardinal & out play any Cal QB. Oh, and BTW Rugby is for “Frat Boys.”
I just learned what BTW means so I used it a couple of times in this post.

Vintage Cal

What’s with this Furdman/milo “man-love”? How much does milo pay for each furdie stroke? It’s as sick as the Wiler/OSU Riley enfatuation.

Banana

vintage kal…can you PLEASE wake up and enter the 21st century with the rest of us? Next I guess you’re going to refer the 1982 Big Game, which Stanford won 20-19, and in your deluded state somehow proclaim how kal courageoulsy came back to win when the zebras cut and run like the blind chumps they are…give me a break.

Furdman

VC, nice stupid idiotic post! I’m sure you know a lot about strokin it. If there is a sicko in the group all you have to do is look in the mirror to find him. “man-love this!”

Vintage Cal

Furdman – perhaps you protest too much? You praise milo & you stroke his ego (what were you thinking?). You laugh at his jokes too much. What are people left to say?